East Riding Museums

Jet button, black with central perforation, circumference flaked and partially polished. Jet is a hard, black mineral, formed by the compression of wood laid down in layers under the sea. In Britain it has been used since the Bronze Age, carved into pieces of jewellery. In the 19th century, Whitby jet was particularly used for mourning jewellery, following the death of Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert.